


Hot Chocolate and Research Papers

by EruGhostCat



Series: 13 Days of Lyshtola fics [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: 13 Days of Lyshtola, F/F, Fluff, University AU, just soft gfs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:14:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21854332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EruGhostCat/pseuds/EruGhostCat
Summary: Lyse just wants to spend time with her girlfriend.
Relationships: Lyse Hext/Y'shtola Rhul
Series: 13 Days of Lyshtola fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1575052
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	Hot Chocolate and Research Papers

**Author's Note:**

> day 7 hot choco;sharing warmth  
> fanart days will be on my tumblr @ erughostcat

Lyse waits by the counter, idly tapping her fingers on the metal surface. The display case beside her is filled with all sorts of wonderful looking treats. She licks her lips, part of her highly tempted to ask for one of the desserts. Perhaps a mouth-watering lemon cake, or a strawberry scone, or a--

“Order for Lyse?” She snaps her gaze up from the pastries to the barista who was currently holding out two venti cups. Lyse waves, “Uh yeah, that’s me! Thanks!”

She takes the cups with a grin and tries very hard to keep herself from skipping as she makes her way to the small university cafe’s doors. Shtola was leaning against the wall there, her arms crossed and looking rather cool in her white hoodie, black jeans, and leather boots. Honestly, she could stare at her all day. 

“One lactose-free hot choco, just for you!” Lyse cheerfully announces. Shtola raises her head, a slight smirk playing over her features.

“Lactose-free? What a treat.” 

Lyse laughs, “Well, I don’t want you to die!” 

Shtola shrugs, taking the offered cup and blowing the top of it so she can take a sip. “Thank you, Lyse, ‘tis quite thoughtful of you.” 

She can’t help the deeply affectionate smile that grows on her face. Lyse takes a sip of her own hot chocolate, humming happily at the smooth chocolaty flavor. Delicious and warm, almost matching the fluttering heat she feels whenever she’s with Shtola. 

Shtola looks pleased with her drink as well, judging by the way she shuts her eyes and savors it with a barely audible hum. But then Shtola inclines her head towards Lyse with a soft smile and half lidded eyes, redness dusting over her cheeks.

“Oh…” Lyse utters without realizing it, unable to handle how beautiful her friend-- _girlfriend_ is. She ducks her face partially into the thick red plaid scarf wrapped around her neck to hide her blush. Gods, they’ve been a couple for a month now and she still feels like she's full of butterflies when they’re together. 

“Shall we?” Shtola asks, nodding towards the exit. 

She’d rather stay here than continue their trek to the library. Just thinking about her research paper gave her a mess of anxiety in her gut. Shtola offers her hand and Lyse bites her lip. She slides her hand slowly over Shtola’s, their fingers interlacing out of reflex. 

“Y-yeah, okay.” Lyse replies. 

“That should keep us warm…” Shtola murmurs as she squeezes Lyse’s hand. Lyse giggles as Shtola pulls her hand into the soft fleece lined pocket of her hoodie. 

They walk out into the cold air of winter, feeling pleasantly cozy with their drinks still heating their hands and throats. Shtola walks with a precise gait, contrasting with how Lyse is practically bouncing on her feet. Sharlayan University’s library is a few blocks away from the cafe but the journey there is scenic.

The campus is interwoven with several park squares, serving as rest and relaxation areas. It’s a quaint college town, the cobblestone paths winding through the various domed buildings. Some are large and grand with high arches and thick glass windows. They enter another square just beside Saint Mocianne’s Arboretum, the park serving to be an exemplary model of the sort of species they cultivated and studied inside. Lyse didn’t have a huge interest in botany beyond sturdy treehouses and delicious fruits but she did enjoy their square. They crossed over a lake on an ornate wooden bridge, the swirling shell sigil of the university underneath them.

Shtola pauses at the center and takes a deep breath, basking in the sweet floral scent of the colorful flower beds set along the railing. Lyse smiles and rests her head on Shtola’s shoulder, “It’s not too late to back out, y’kno…” 

“Oh no you don-” Shtola starts, giving her a sidelong glance.

“We can walk back to my room and cuddle on the couch with some movies.” 

She sighs, “You realize we can still cuddle after you get some work done, correct?”

“Oh! We can?”

Shtola hums in affirmative and continues to tug Lyse towards the library. She gleefully fell back into stride with the Miqo’te, “I had no idea you could stay over this weekend!”

“Surprise.” There’s a smirk on her lips as she holds her head high, “I plan to make the most of it. Therefore, we should knock out as much of your outline and research today.”

“Ahhh, alright. You have a rather persuasive argument.” Lyse concedes with a shrug. There are only a few more streets to go before they reach the library anyways.

When a particularly chilly gust hit them, Shtola presses closer against Lyse’s side, nuzzling into her scarf and fluffy jacket. They receive a few odd looks from strangers as they make their way down the main market street. It makes Lyse want to hold her closer. She settles for kissing the top of Shtola’s head, her ear flicking by her chin. Though their campus is largely accepting, she still feels defensive when they are out in the open… Fortunately, the library was just on the other side of the crosswalk. 

Shtola bumps the card reader by the door with the ID she wears on a lanyard necklace while Lyse waits for the telltale click of the door unlocking. She opens the door and leans her back against it as Shtola brushes by her.

The temperature is higher inside but not by much. Normally it irks Lyse when the school buildings are cold, but considering her current company, she really can’t find it in herself to mind. She plops down onto one of the white leather sofas, dropping her bag onto the oval table and rummaging for her laptop and notebook. Shtola joins her a moment later with a stack of books and magazines to use for her research, placing them a few ilms from their mostly empty containers of hot chocolate. That woman sure knows her way around a library catalog. 

“These should help while we compile sources.” She says as she settles down next to Lyse and pulls out her own tablet. “I also found a few audio-books on the subject.” Lyse’s pout disappears as Shtola offers her an earbud. 

She takes it, brushing her fingers against Shtola’s. A blush warms her cheeks as Shtola moves closer into Lyse’s side for the sake of the headphone cable hanging between them. Research papers are definitely not her favorite thing to do, but it’s much more tolerable with her favorite person.


End file.
